9 inmates dead in Peru coronavirus prison riot

Prisoners in Peru staged riots over Monday and Tuesday following the deaths of several fellow inmates from the new coronavirus, but the revolt in itself proved fatal, with nine prisoners getting killed, authorities said.

Authorities said Tuesday the inmates were shot dead during a clash with authorities at the Miguel Castro Castro prison in Lima a day earlier.

An investigation was under way into who fired the deadly shots.

Hundreds of inmates gathered around the bodies of two of the dead in a common space of the prison late Monday afternoon.

Peru's overcrowded jails have been hard hit by the coronavirus: at least 13 prisoners have died and more than 500 have been infected.

Over 100 workers have also fallen ill.

Governments in the region have reported close to 1,400 confirmed COVID-19 cases among inmates and prison staff, though advocates say not enough testing is taking place.

Peru has nearly 30,000 confirmed cases total of COVID-19, the second highest number of infections in the region following Brazil.

Health authorities say 782 have died.